The directions it says to set all inputs to ch1 when using the uart configuration for these gimbals.
The new configurator and firmware version for these gimbals though needs a mode set for each of the options on the mode chan, so low, med, high each need a mode. Ardupilot does not control these properly depending on what modes are set.
It would be nice to actually use and set these modes in ardupilot so you can switch between stabalized and just pointing or what ever other options you want.
Either way it seems to behave oddly but im also not sure I have configured this perfectly either.
For instance, if I set M2: GOTO-ZERO the gimbal just locks straight ahead and no ardu control is possible so the gimbal things ardupilot is setting it to mode M2 and I donāt see anywhere you can change this.
Sure setting M2 to other modes like FPVM or rate_lock makes it work but so far you just get one option and you have to set it in the M2 spot. again it would be nice to be able to change this.
It looks like all of this is different from gimbal version 3.4 that the docs are written for. I am on gimbal version 3.8 now.
It would also be nice to be able to adjust the sensitivity setting. Id love to see these both controllable from RC inputs and something like GCS aux functions.
Mostly though I just need to know what is the right way? Is ardupilot doing stabilization and the gimbal should be in rate lock? Should I set the gimbal to the FPV mode so it points as per command but also stabilizes?
I think this is not very effective way how to solve it. Chance that someone reads this here and go to correct it is very small.
If you arenāt a programmer able to edit it yourself (like me), you can write an issue or feature request on github here.
Then there is a chance it gets to developers and maybe they can edit it.
You only need to properly think through how (according you) it should work, clearly and shortly (!!!) describe it and then hopeā¦
If you want, I can do it some other day when I have time for it. Iāll keep following this thread.
@spova Reading again here what does it mean āgimbal lockā mode and itās possible that this option is working properly, only we donāt fully understand it.
Additionally I donāt test the gimbal with a real vehicle but only with a bare FC (without MAG) on a table so it can be a reason for the strange behaviour.
Just look at it first before writing to github. I guess you may rather make feature request than a bug report.
I also dont really know how to program it but I was hoping someone that initially was involved with adding the caddx gimbal support would comment on the intended function.
Iām sure the lock option is working properly and I just donāt know how to make that do what I want. When I turn on gimbal lock ardupilot does keep the gimbal pointed in a direction and altitude as I move the aircraft around manually. I have no idea how to control what its pointing at as the GPS point option didnt seem to change it. However its not really relevant to how mode selection on the gimbal works or is intended to work. Gimbal lock is an ardupilot mode. The gimbal does not know or care if that is on it just takes instructions from ardupilot either way. The gimbalās internal modes control how the gimbal responds to those instructions.
Id love to have passthrough or some way to access the gimbals own mode and sensitivity options and still have ardupilot be able to control the gimbal. I dont know if there is a reason or plans for why these gimbals are implemented the way they are now though.
I agree with your conclusions. Probably we need the way to change internal gimbal modes and sensivity.
I think best way would be to summarize it and put it as a feature request to github. Would you do it?
Id be happy to put in an issue on github but Iām not certain there is an issue or if I just donāt know how to use the gimbal.
I am not the regular use case gimbal user. I use ardupilot to fly FPV helicopers more like FPV quad copters.
I was hoping someone would chime in here.
I hate directly mentioning people but @rmackay9 seems to the one most involved in gimbal stuff when I search. Does ardupilot actually use the gimbal mode and gimbal sensitivity options for the caddx/xf gimbals do you know? As in are those controlled by something in the AP? It seems like there is a difference in how these gimbals are controlled on different versions of the gimbal firmware may.
Also how is the gimbal controlled in earth ref mode? Mine just locks to one direction and I cant seem to change what that direction is. It would be awesome if I could figure out a way to rate control in earth ref and angle control in body ref on the one switch for changing between earth and body mode.
Iv been reading about how to maybe do some gimbal control customization with lua but im a noob at lua so its going to be a long time before I figure that out.
I like that mounting you did where its tucked in a little more than most people do. I have no idea how much that will matter for aero but there will be a speed where it matters more and more.
I have another Mini Talon with much bigger gimbal (running Storm32) and at Mini Talon with crusing speed about 60km/h and maximal about 120km/h it really does +30-50% difference in efficiency. I hope to get with this (much smaller) gimbal to somethink like +10-20% against a āsimpleā version without any gimbal.
Did first test flight of my MiniTalon with the C-20 gimbal (-1Ā°C outside) and it seems to work great just some things need improvement.
In the position I originally mounted the gimbal is view down too much obstructed by the plane nose so when the plane is climbing or just turning (and I need to pull elevetor at turns) the nose is projecting itself too much into the image. See video sample here.
So I reworked the mount, moved the gimbal a bit higher and forward and tilted down to eliminate rubber supresors in the view. Will see next time whether it will be enough.
Changing gimbal modes (still would be very nice) seems not to be critical. I fly in pitch lock (roll and pan follow) mode and in ardupilot STAB flying mode is the piloting (including the landing) quite comfortable.
Efficiency seem to drop a little (like 10%) as expected, not so bad. But itās hard to determine exactly.
They have 2 axis vertical gimbals that are cheaper but it might make it harder to do the forward leaning setup.
That PR was for pitch lock being a safety issue when landing since you cant tell what AOA is for the aircraft anymore. Are you just using the view of the nose as aircraft attitude reference when landing? Did you adjust the sensitivity of the gimbal at all or are you using the forced default?
I use mine on a heli and have it setup so most angles I can still see part of the heli body for reference. Then when landing I just look in a direction with both good aircraft and ground reference. Though in gimbal FPV mode all axis are supposed to be referenced off the airframe so you should be able to tell with all axis following even if you cant see the airframe I guess.
I experimented with 2 axis gimbals on fixed wing airplanes but I wasnāt satisfied with the results.
Planes (at least my plane) usually move forward by kind of serpent like waving path (if there isnāt total still air which usually isnāt).
Normally you canāt see it as itās masked with roll and pitch movements but when you remove these 2 movements by a 2ax gimbal, waving become visible and is bothering for a cinematic watching. So I use 3ax gimbals to āironā shakings in all axes from the video while keeping main roll movements to make video more natural than a DJI drone footage.
I fly planes mostly in ardu āSTABā mode and (after many flying hours) have stick manuovers some way ābuilt in fingersā so I can land quite safely even in a pitch lock mode without visible reference of a nose. In fact Iām trying to avoid any part of the plane to be seen in camera so itās not disturbing the video.
Normally I fly analog so I have a dedicated fixed FPV camera for piloting and when flying safely high enough, I switch VTX to the gimbal mounted HD camera feed and look around for a nice views.
With Walksnail I donāt have dual camera switching available so this is why Iām asking for mount mode inflight switching.
It seems to me that with current āstockā ardu 4.6.3 MOUNT driver I canāt modify gimbal sensivity. I tried to change default sensivity 0 to +1 and -1 in ghe gimbal GUI but I didnāt see any effect. Sensivity is probably forced to the gimbal by the serial protocol from the ardupilot driver so GUI setting is not being used.
I canāt imagine piloting real heli in normal āACROā mode over a pitch locked gimbal without frame reference but maybe in āSTABā mode it would be after some training possible.
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